Construction of ceilings and walls for buildings or other structures.



No. 656,024. Patented Aug. l4, I900. E. KEMNITZ.

CONSTRUCTION UF C EILINGS AND WALLS FOR BUILDINGS OR OTHER STRUCTURES.

(Application filed Dc. 6, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shae! l.

THE uanms PETERS cu, Pmrmu'mo WASHINGTON, u. c.

No. 656,024. Patented Aug. l4, I900. F. KEMNITZ.

CONSTRUCTION OF GEILINGS AND WALLS FOB BUILDINGS OR OTHER STRUCTURES.

(Application filed Dec.. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.) .2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

NITED ATENT OFFI E.

FRANZ KEMNITZ, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

srEcIrIcA'rron forming part ofletters Patent No. 656,024, dated August 14, 1900. Application filed December 6, 1899. Serial No. 739,375. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANZ KEMNITZ, of Bayreutherstrasse 9, Berlin Prussia, Ger

many, have invented new and useful Improve ments in the Construction of Ceilings and Walls for Buildings or other Structures, of

which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description. 7

This invention relates to the construction of ceilings and walls for buildings and other structures; and it consists for the purpose of the construction of such ceilings and walls in a new method of arranging and stretching ropes intended for supporting the mortar."

This purpose is attained by placingor securing cramps, (hooks, clasps, eyes, a'ndt-he 1111's,)

to which the ropes are to be fastened, into the walling of the room to be covered, respectively around the flanges of the parallel girders or around the rails or respective beams. The ropes are'then arranged net'- like between these cramps, the ends of the ropes being tightened as much as possible. At last the ends of the ropes are knotted to gether or otherwise fastened. The whole network gets by this treatment such a considerable tension, equally great in all its parts,

that the network is for usual casesstrong enough without further precautions. mortar (beton, lime-mortar, pumice-beton, or any other hardening artificial-stone material) is then brought upon the thus-prepared network, whereby, if ceilings are to be made, preferably a removable boarding is arranged underneath the network, the boarding beingremoved after the stone material has har-' dened. If in any case the use of such a boarding is not suitable,a narrow-meshed wirework is laid upon the network, a mortar,

mingled with cow-hair, glue, and gypsum, be!

ing instrument in the boarding.

The"

tension thus obtained from being lost again,

the nail or other instrument is secured in a suitable way after the screwing has been fin- .ished. Then the wirework, if used, and at last the beton or other hardening artificials'tone material, is applied.

The invention also consists in increasing the tension of the said network by arranging a second network. supported on points under"- neath the first network, laid partly across the tion to the construction of ceilings.

Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a beton ceiling. Fig. 2 represents a sectional elevation of another form of such a ceiling. Fig. 3 represents a sectional plan showing the arrangement of the girders and a network formed of ropes. Fig. 4: represents a sectional plan showing the manner of stretching out the network and the fastening of the stretch- Fig. 5 represents a sectional elevation through A B, Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 represents a sectional elevation of another form of a ceiling constructed according to this invention. Fig. 7 represents a perspective View of the network of this ceiling. Fig. 8 represents a section of another form of ceiling constructed accordin g to this invention. Fig. 9 represents a sectional plan'showing the arrangement of the girders and a network stretched in a peculiar way. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 represent details.

The ceiling shown in Fig. 1 is constructed in the following way: At first the cramps b 1) b &c., ending in a hook b or acornpletelyformed eye, are placed around the upper flanges a of the parallel I-girders a and are preferably so arranged that they are equally distant from each other and are in opposite pairs 1) and b and b and b always being situated in a plane at right angles to the length of the girder a. After all the cramps b 6 b &c., have been so arranged and have been suitably fastened in their places for instance, by being haminered the network adapted to serve as the support of the beton is constructed. This network consists of as may be required. In order to prevent the siderable first tension by tightly stretching their ends. This first tension is of great practical importance, because the bearing capacity of the finished ceiling is especially dependent upon the first tension. The tightlystretched network, consisting of the ropes c and d, is then, in any suitable way, inclosed in a hardening artificial-stone material e. that is, beton or a similar cement composition; also, pumice beton and similar mixtures may, as already mentioned, be used, but only for ceilings of which a less bearing capacity is required.

As also already mentioned, a narrowmeshed wirework may be used instead of the boarding, a mortar, mingled with cow-hair, glue, and gypsum, being spread upon it and the beton being applied after the mortar has hardened; but also, if a boarding is used, such a wirework may still be employed, with the intention of stiffeningthe body of the beton. After the beton or the mixture used in its stead has hardened the boarding, if such an arrangement was used, is removed. The material of the ropes c and d is preferably steel wire, because steel wire tightly stretched does not extend any more; but in some cases wrought-iron wire, though less advantageous, may be used for the said purpose.

In regard to the construction and forming of the network it is to be mentioned that it also in the construction of the ceiling described above, Fig. 1, the ropes c and (I have been drawn crosswise and slopingly from one girder to the other and then again slopingly to the first girder, and so on, yet it is evident that also other shapes of the network may be used, and to this end the ropes may be drawn in any suitable manner between the girders; also, the number of the ropes may be varied. One rope is suifioient, but two, three, four, or more ropes may be used.

The form of construction in Fig. 2 does not substantially differ from the form described above. The hooks 11, holding the network, are in this case bent around the lower flanges and are therefore shaped somewhat diiferently from the cramps b 1) 19 &c.

The form of construction in Fig. 9 shows the use of only one single rope c. The adjacent cramps-for instance, I) b b b are stiffiy connected with each other by two crossed stay-irons f, which keep the cramps in their places, as required.

As already explained above, the first tension of the network obtained by tightening the ends of the ropes forming the network does not suffice in all cases-as, for instance, in the construction of ceilings of relatively very considerable bearing capacity or where the spaces of tension of the area of the ceiling are very considerable. A simple method of rendering the tension of the rope network Another method of increasing the first tension of the network is represented in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. The cramps K used in this case have two parallel side pieces and form abow K and a bend K. The parallel side pieces of these cramps are slid over the girders, the protruding ends of the cramps being bent around the flanges of the girders. Thereby these cramps are fastened to the girders. After all the cramps have been affixed a rope c or several such ropes is or are stretched out in a zigzag way, the rope or ropes being laid into the bows K The ends of this rope or of these ropes are tightened and suitably fastened. One end of a rope Z having been attached to the bend K of the first cramp, this rope l is wound over the nearest part of the rope c and passed to the bend of the opposite cramp K, drawn through this bend, then again wound over the nearest part of the rope c, and so on. At last the rope I is perfectly tightened, the tension of the rope c being thus obtained at the same time, and the free end of the rope I is well fastened.

In the above only constructions of ceilings, supported by I-girders, have been described; but it is evident without any further consideration that also girders of another sectional shape-for instance, .L-g'irders, U -irons, or rails and the like may be used for the said purpose. Likewise, instead of these girders wooden beams or joists may be employed, the ends of the hooks and cramps being then bent around or driven into the beams, as shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12. As already has been mentioned in the beginning, the cramps, hooks, clasps, &c., may also be inserted directly into the walling. It is also evident without further consideration that other shapes of cramps, hooks, and clasps than those shown in the drawings may be employed for the purpose of the invention.

About the ceilings constructed according to this invention the following is to be mentioned: As of first importance, their production is exceedingly simple and also cheap, for though the cost of the steel and iron ropes is somewhat higher than that of most iron inclosures used hitherto for the production of ceilings, yet the difierence of such cost is not very considerable, and for that an advantage not to be undervalued is obtained by the quicker and easier production of the ceilings. The most important advantage of the new ceilings is that the thickness of material of the ceilings may be relatively small, even if a great bearing capacity is required. Really strong beton ceilings of so small a thickness of material have not yetbcen known. Finally it may be said that in order to insure a sufficient first tension of the steel and iron ropes mechanical appliances of any suitable kind may be usedfor instance, pulleys, winches, levers, and other similar pullinginstruments being used in such a manner that they exercise a stretching effect only on the ends or by pulling endwise of the ropes. Likewise the said cramps or the like maybe fitted with rings or wheels, through which the ropes are drawn, facilitating their stretching.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- 1. In the construction of walls and ceilings of buildings, long ropes each extending in a continuous line to and fro between suitable supports, the said ropes crossing each other, the ropes being tightened and the ends of the ropes being fastened, the ropes being twisted together at the point of crossing, and a fastening device for maintaining the ropes in the twisted position, substantially as described.

2. In walls or ceilings, beams or girders, clamps on the beams or girders, metal ropes extending to and fro between the beams or girders and secured at their bends to the said clamps, the ropes being tightened and fastened at their ends, and a filling material, substantially as described.

3. In walls or ceilings, a network consisting of metal ropes each extending in a continuous line to and fro, fixed clamps or the like for engaging the ropes at the bends, the

said ropes being tightened and fastened at their ends, substantially as described.

4. In walls or ceilings, the combination of beams or girders, clamps on the beams, the clamps having bends at different heights, a network and strands crossing the network, the network being secured to the clamps at one series of bends and the strands to the other series of bends, and a filling material.

5. In walls or ceilings, beams or girders, strands extending across between the beams and securedthereto,the strands being crossed and twisted, a boarding, and a fastening device engaging the twisted strands and the boarding.

6. In walls or ceilings, beams or girders, metal ropes each extending in a continuous line to and fro between the beams or girders and crossing each other, and nail-like devices for twisting the ropes at the point of crossing to exert tension thereon, the said devices being fastened in position to secure the ropes under tension, substantially as described.

7. In walls or ceilings, beams or girders, strands or ropes each extending in a continuous line to and fro between the beams or girders, the strands crossing each other and secured at their bends alternately to opposite beams or girders, and a filling material, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have signed my name hereunto in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANZ KEMNITZ.

Witnesses:

MAX LAUZL, FRANZ SOHWEYTERLEY. 

